Engine-starting apparatus



De.,3ll, 1929.. Y R.. P. LANSING 1,741,370

` v ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS" Filed 00'6- 25. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 'lill/1..

Dea. 31, 1929. R. P. LANSING ENGINE S'IAR'IINYfrA APPARATUS 2 SheetS-Shaat 2 Filed'OCt. 25, 1928 wil l l 1 w m i j m f l w l w M i 2 W. w um?. 1 m m nventor I ttomeg Patented Dec. 31, 19,29

UNITED STATES `PATENT OFFICEv RAYMOND 1?. IJANSING'. 0F MONTCLAIR. NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO ECLIPSE MACHINE COMPANY, OF ELMIB-.A HEIGHTS, NEW YORK, 'CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK ENGINE-STARTING APPARATUS Application led October 25, 1928. Serial No. 315,042.

This 'invention relates to engine starting apparatus, and more particularlyto combined starting and ignition mechanism for internal combustion engines. H

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide novel engine starting mechanism including an inertia starter and .a booster magneto adapted to be driven by the starter during the starting operation.

Another object is to provide novel means for drivably connecting a booster magneto with the flywheel of an engine starter whereby ignition current is generated during the startinof operation.

Another object is to provide novel manual means for drivably connecting and discon necting the starter and booster magneto.

A further object is to provide novel manual means for operatively connecting the booster magneto with the iywheel of an engine starter, the manually operable means being combined with meshing means for a jaw or other clutch member adapted to be driven by the lywheel of the starter and also adapted to be moved into driving engagement with a member of the engine to be started.

A further object is to provide, in combination with an inertia starter and a booster magneto adapted to be driven thereby, novel means for drivably connecting the magneto and starter including a meshing rod for the magneto slidably `mounted in the starter cranking shaft.

A s till further object is to provide, in combination with an inertia starter of the type having a. clutch member movable into engagement with a memberof the engine to be started, a booster magneto adapted to be drivably connectedl tosaid starter, in combinationl with novel means for establishing the drivi ving connection between the starter and magneto simultaneously with the movement of the Clutch member into driving' engagement with the engine to be started. The above andl other objects will appear more fully hereafter in the detailed description of the invention.

Two embodiments of the present'invention are illustrated in the 'accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like partsthroughout the several views. It

is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of y of the present invention, the starter and driving connections to the magnetobeing illustrated in section;

F ig.'2 is a detail perspective view of a portion of thev meshing mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

F' g. 3 is a detail perspective view illustrating the magneto meshing mechanism and driving means shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the invention, the starter and the driving connections to the booster magneto being shown in section and 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the meshing mechanism shown in Fig. 4.'

Referring to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the starter comprises a housing 'embodying an inner section 6 that is preferably formed of aluminum7 an intermediate section 7 that is removably secured to section 6 as by means of bolts 8,v

and an outer section 9 that is secured to section 7 in any suitable manner as by means of screws (not shown)- The inner section is `provided with a flange 10 that is adapted to be bolted or otherwise removably connected to the engine, crank case, a portion of the latter being diagrammatically illustrated at 11. The intermediate housing section 7 is provided with an end wall or diaphragm 12 having a laterally projecting boss 13 in which are positioned a pair of ball bearings 14 for rotatably suppdrting a flywheel 15 which is of small size and weight and which is adapted to be rotated atvery high speeds, whereby 'energy may be stored therein for starting the' engine. p

Means are provided for manually rotating flywheel l5. In the form shown said l enlarged portion 2l which extends laterally from the outer wall of section 7 andcarries closely adjacent the end thereof a transverse pin 22 adapted to be engagedby a hand crank (not shown) whereby said shaft 16 maybe manually rotated. The inner end of shaft 16 has drivably connected thereto, in any suitable manner, a bevel gear 23 that meshes with a bevel gear 424 which is drivably connected to a stub shaft 25 which is preferably formed integrally and concentrically with the closed end 26 of a barrel 27 that is rotatably mounted as by means of ball bearings 28 in the inner housing section 6.

Three planetary gears, one of which is shownin section at 29, are rotatably mounted on the outer face of the barrel end 26. As

' shown, the mounting for each planetary gear Aits inner endeountersunk in barrel end 26 and interposed between the sleeve and the planetary gear is a 'ball bearing 32.

The planetary gears are spaced at angular vintervals of 120 around the end of the barrel and screws 30 carryon their outer ends a ring 83 which constitutes a retainer for each of the.

sleeves 31 and ball bearings 32.

An internal spur gear 34 which is rigidly attached to the inner surface of housing section 6, as by means of screws or studs 35, surrounds and has meshing engagement with each'of the planetary gears 29. The latter also mesh with a sun gear 36 which is rotatably mounted, by means of a bushing 37, on the stub shaft 25. The sun gear is preferably formed integrally with an internal spur' the iiywheel is prevented by means of a iange 43 provided on the shaft adjacent pinion 42 and a nut 44 that is threaded onto the outer end of said shaft and is held in position by means of a lock washer 45 that has abutting engagement with the outer face of flywheel '15.,

The energy stored in the flywheel is adapted to be imparted to a clutch or jaw member A 46 carried by the crank shaft 47, or an eX- vtension thereof, of the engine to be started,

and .for this purpose the iyivheel is drivably connected through the train of gearing described above with a clutch or jaw member 48 that is adapted for movement into, but is normally out of engagement with, jaw member'46.

The energy stored in flywheel 15 is so great that damage would result to the starter parts at the time the starter is connected to the engine if said flywheel were rigidly connected to the clutch member 48. Accordingly, a yielding driving connection is provided betweenl the flywheel and the clutch member 48. In the form shown the yielding driving connection is constituted by a clutch of the multiple disk type, said clutch being positioned within the rotatable. barrel 27. A number of the clutch disks 49, which are annular in form.

are splined at their outer peripheriesto the inner surface of barrel 27 for rotation therewith. The remaining disks of the clutch are salined at their inner periphcries to the outer surface of an interiorly threaded nut 50 which is provided intermediate its ends with a iiange 5l. The clutch disks 59 are held between flange 51 and the inner face of end wall 26. l

Yielding means are provided for varying the frictional engagement of the disks wherebythe amount of torque transmitted by said disks may be varied. For this purpose the inner surface of the inner end of barrel 27 is threadedv to receive an adjustable nut 52 which has engagement with a spacer ring53 provided with a plurality of equi-spaced pins 54, each of which extends into a coil spring 55. These springs bear at one end against flange 51 and serve to hold the clutch disks 49 in frictional engagement. By adjusting the position of nut 52 relative to barrel 27 the compression of the springs may be varied, thereby varying the pressure exerted by said springs through flange 51 on the clutch disks. Any suitable locking means, such as is shown at 56, may be employed for locking the nut 52 in adjusted position.

A threaded shaft'57 is ositioned within A the interiorly threaded nut- 50, the 'shaft being adapted for rotary and longitudinal movement relative to said nut. The outer end o f shaft 57 carries a stop nut 58 adapted to engage a suitable shoulder formed interiorly of nut 50 whereby longitudinal movement of the shaft is positively limited. l The inner end of shaft 57 is provided exteriorly with longitudinal splines which coact with the interiorly splined hub portion 48:L of the jaw 48. A coil spring 59 is interposed between jaw member 58 and the adjacent end of l shaft 57 to resist movement of said jaw towards the shaft and, if desired, the, shaft may by said jaws may be moved into driving engagement and the energy stored in flywheel 15 may be rendered available ofor rotating speed. AIn the form illustrated, magneto v7() crank shaft 47. As will be pointed out more fully hereafter, said means also serve to establish the driving connection between the magneto and flywheel. Invthe form shown, the starter is provided with a longitudinally and concentrically disposed rod 61 which slidably extends through jawy member 48, threaded shaft, 57, the closed end 26 of the drivably engaged but normally out of eni gagement with a bevel gear 78 which is'slidably mounted on the enlarged end of crank shaft 16. y

A slot 79 is providedin shaft 16 and slidably extending therethrough, at substantially right angles to the longitudinal axis of they is heldin place thereon by pin 22. The in-4 ner end of spring 81 bears against a suitable portion of the gear 78.

Means are provided for moving gear 78 barrel, and stub shaft 25, the outer end of outwardly into driving engagement with pinsaid rod terminating closely adjacent the inner face of pinion 42 l The inner end of rod 61 is of reduced diameter to provide a shoulder 62 which normally is in abutting engagement with the outer end of threaded shaft 57. The inner extremity of rod 61 is threaded to receive a nut 63 which bears against the inner face of jaw member 48.

The outer end of rod 61 is provided with a transverselyr extending pin 64 which passes througha slot 65 provided inone end of a lever arm 66the opposite end of said arm being rigidly connected`to a rockshaft 67 journaled in the starter housing. One end of the rockshaft 67 projects through the starter housing and has `fixedly attached thereto a bell crank lever v68 adapted to receive a rodor cable (not shown) whereby said rockshaft may be manually rotated. A coil spring 69 surrounds rockshaft 67 and has one end thereL of in engagement with lever arm 66, the other end of said spring being anchored in any suitable manner -whereby the same normally maintains rod 61 Ain the position shown in F ig. 1 with jaw 48 in retracted or non-driving position.

A small, lightbooster magneto 70 is conveniently mounted yon the starter housing and means are provided for drivably connecting said magneto and flywheel whereby the `latter may drive tha magneto at high is mounted on the endof housing section 9 in such a position? that theV magneto armature shaft 7l extends substantially at right angles to the axis of flywheel -15. A pinion 72, which is carried on the outer end ofl shaft 71 meshes with a bevel gear 73 fiXedly secured to one end of a shaft 74 which is, rotatably mounted in a housing 75 provided on the side of the starter housing. The inner end of shaft 74 carries a pinion 76 adapted to be ion 76 against the tension of spring 81 and szud means are preferably so constituted as to be actuated by lever 68, rockshaft 67 and aim 66. As shown, a rod 63, which may be formed in sections if desired, slidably extends through the hollow cranking shaft 16, the outer end of said rod having abutting engagement with pin 80 and the inner end of the rod bein provided with a U-shaped head 84. Diagonally disposed slots 85 are provided in the opposite sides of head S4 and through said slots project the opposite ends of the pin 64 carried by rod 61. One end of each slot 85 is preferably enlarged, as shown in Fig. `3, and normally pin 64 extends through said enlarged portions.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The operator engages the hand crank (not shown) with pin. 22 and rotates crank'- ing shaft '16. rlhis movement is transmitted, through the train of gearing described, to flywheel 15 whereby the latter may be rotated at high speedand energy stored therein for starting the engine. As soon as the flywheel is brought to the k desired speed of rotation the operator actuates lever 68 to rotate rockshaft 67 which motion is transmitted to the arm 66 whereby the latter is moved in 'a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2. The movement of arm 66 is transmitted through pin 64 to r'od 61 forcing the latter downwardly as viewed in Fig. 1; Threaded shaft 57, which is rotated-by the flywheel `crank lshaft 47 to rotate the: same.

Simultaneously with the movement-of rod izo 61, pin 64 is effective through the slotted head 84 to move rod 83 to the right. lin 80.y which has abutting engagement with the rod 83, is also forced to the right against the tension of spring 81 and bevel gear 78 is thus moved into meshing engagement with pinion 76, whereupon the iiywhecl is effective to rotatctlic magneto armature shaft 7l. The magneto now supplies starting current to the engine and when the latter starts under its own power the speed of the crank shaft 47 is such as to cause jaw 46 to overrun jaw 48, whereupon the inclination of the teeth of said jaws forces jaw 48 out of driving position. l-Vhen the operator releases lover 68 spring 69 returns the rods 6l and 83 to normal position and spring 81 is now effective to demcsh gear.7 8 by moving the latter to the left. It will be noted that gear 78 rotates in unison with shaft 16, which is a low speed shaft and hence the meshing of said gear 78 with pinion 76 is readily elfected.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated yin Figs. 4 and 5, the starter, per se, there shown is substantially identical to the one shown in Fig. 1. The cranking shaft 86 of this second embodiment, however, is elongated and has secured to the outer end thereof, as by means of a pin 87, a socket member 88 to receive a hand crank (not shown). The inner end of socket menibcr 88 is rotatably mounted in a boss 89 proy vided in a housing 90 which is secured in any suitable manner to or is formed integral with the housing of the starter. Surrounding shaft 86 and positioned within the inner enlarged end of socket member 88l is a sleeve 91 having the inner end thereof toothed to engage teeth formed on the outer end of the hub portion 92 of a gear 93 which is rotatably mounted in housing 90. A pin 94 which slidably extends through an elongated slot 95 in shaft 86 constitutes a driving connection between said shaft and sleeve 91 but permits sliding movement of tlie'sleeveon the shaft.

Gear 93 meshes with a pinion 96 carried by a stub shaft 97 ythat is rotatably mounted in housing 90 and preferably said pinion is formed integrally with a gear 98 which is also carried by stub shaftv 97, said pinion and gear meshing'respectively with a gear 99 and a pinion 100 carried. by a stub shaft 101 rotatably mounted in housing 90 and substantially parallel to shaft 97. Gear 99 meshes with a pinion 102 that is drivably connected to a shaft 103 rotatably mounted in housing 90, one end of said shaft 103 projecting from lthe housing and having rigidly pinned thereto a toothed Coupling member 104 which is in driving engagement with a toothed coupling member 105 that is drivably connected in any suitable manner to the tapered end 106 of the armature shaft of the magneto 70.

A coil spring 107 is positioned in a pocket 108 provided in the cranking shaft 86, said pocket opening into the slot 95 formed in said shaft. Spring 107 has abutting engagement with pin 94 and tends to move and hold the toothed end of sleeve 91 in driving engagement with the toothed hub portion of gear 93. Normally the tendency of spring 10iis counteracted by spring 69 which acts through rockshaft 67, ai'in 66, pin 64, head 84 and rod 83 to hold said sleeve out of driving engagement as shown in Fig. 4`

After flywheel 15 has been energized vby means of the hand crank, engaged' with meinber 88, lever 68 is actuated to move jaw 48 into di'iving engagement with jaw 46. ,Simultaneously, pin 64 is effective due to the inclination of the slots in head 84 to move rod 83 to the right as viewed in Fig. 4. Spring 107 now moves sleeve 91 into driving cngageinent with gear 93 and the energy of the liywhcel is` transmitted through shaft 86, sleeve 91 and the gearing in housing 90 to the armature shaft 106 of the magneto. li'hen the parts are returned to normal position by means of spring 69, rod 83 and pin 94 actto compress spring 107 and to force sleeve 91 out of driving engagement with the gear 93.'

There is thus provided a combined starter and booster magneto particularly adapted for starting internal combustion engines, such, for example, as are employed in arcoplanes. The driving connection between the magneto and the flywheel is established aft-er said flywheel has been brought to a high Speed of rotation,,A the means for establishing said connection being common to the means for drivably connecting the iiywheel with the engine crank shaft. The apparatus is coinpact and of light weight, factors of considerable importance in air craft structures. Since the magneto is driven at high speed the same may be of small size without interfering with its effectiveness to supply t-he necessary ignition current to the engine.

Power means, such as an electric motor, may be employed to actuate the cranking shaft and energize the flywheel if desired.

Only two embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail, but it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto since it will now be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the details df construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the invention defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is: x

1. In an apparatus for starting internal combustion engines, a flywheel, means for rotating said flywheel at high speed including a cranking shaft, the cranking shaft constituting a driven member after the flywheel has been energized, a rotatable member adapted to be driven bylsaid flywheel, and means interposedV between the rotatable member and the cranking shaft for transmitting motion of the flywheel to the rotatable member.

2. In combination with an engine starter embodying a flywheel, a' manually operable cranking shaft for rotating the fiywheel, said cranking shaft becoming a driven member after the flywheel has been energized, a booster magneto having an armature shaft adapted to be' driven by the flywheel, aud motion transmitting means for operatively connecting said armature shaft and flywheel, one element of said motion transmitting means being constituted by said cranking shaft.

3. In starting n'ieclianism 'l' or internal combustion engines, a flywheel, a cranking member for energizing saidflywlieel, said meniber constituting a di'iven member after the fiywheel has been energized. means including a rotatable member adapted to be driven by the fiywheel, and means drivably connected to to the cranking member for actuating said rotatable member. i

4. In apparatus of the type embodying a booster magneto mounted on and adapted to be driven by an inertia starter having a flywheel adapted to be energized by means of a. cranking shaft, gearing` drivably connected I to the magneto, a gear member movably mounted on and drivably connected to said cranking shaft, and meansfor moving said gear member into driving engagement with said gearing whereby the armature shaft of e the magneto is rotated.

5. In apparatus for starting internal comy bustion 'engines including a booster magneto mounted on, and adapted to be driven by, a starter of the flywheel type, means including a cranking shaft for rotating the flywheel of the starter, gearing operatively connected to said magneto, a member slidably and drivably connected to said cranking shaft, and means for moving said slidable member into and out of driving engagement with said gearing.

6. In apparatus of the typeenibodying a booster magneto mounted on-and adapted vto be driven by, an inertia engine starter having a cranking shaft for energizing the fiywheel of the starter, gearing drivably connected to the magneto, a member drivably connected to the cranking shaft, said memberv being adapted for driving engagement with the gearing, and means including a rod slidable in said cranking shaft for controlling the engagement and disengagement of said member with the gearing.l

7. In combination with an engine starter including a flywheel and a drivenmember movable into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, a booster magneto having an armature shaft, means for drivably including a slidably mounted rod having a slotted head, and means for moving said driven member into engagement with the member connecting said fiywheel and armature shaft tate a member movable into engagement with the-crank shaft of the engine to be started,

la booster magneto carried by said starter and having an armature shaft, gearing operatively connected to said armature shaft, a member adapted to drivably engage said gearing and slidably mounted on said crank- .ing shaft, means normally maintaining said slidably mounted member out of engagement with said gearing, and means for movingv said driving member into engagement with the gearing, said last named means being adapted to move the rst named member into driving engagement with the engine crank shaft.

9. In apparatus of the class described wherein the armature shaft of a booster magneto is adapted to be driven by the flywheel of an inertia starter, a slotted cranking shaft adapted to be rotated by said flywheel, a driving member slidably mounted on said cranking shaft, means movable in the slot of said shaft for drivably conecting the slidable member land the cranking shaft, motion transmitting means operatively connected to sai-d armature shaft and adapted to be engaged by said slidable member, and means for.moving said slidable member 'nto and out of operative engagement -wit said motion transmitting means.` a

` 10. In combination with an engine starter provided with a flywheel, a member driven by the flywheel and movable into driving engagement with a member of the engine to be started, anda cranking. shaft, a booster magneto having an armature shaft carried by said starter, means for actuating said armature shaft including a gear member mounted on and drivably connected to said cranking shaft,`mea ns for moving the driven member an armature shaft, means including a mem ber carried on the cranling'shaft for. transmitting power from the flywheel to the armature shaft, means for moving the driven member,into engagement with the member of the engine to be started, and means, including a rod slidable in said cranking shaft, actuated by said second'named means for establishing a driving connection to the armature Shaft ins adapted to be through the member carried on the cranking shaft.

12. In combination with an engine starter of the flywheel type having a cranking shaft for rotating the flywheel, a rotatable member adapted to be driven by the flywheel, a driving member carried by said cranking shaft and adapted foi'voperative driving engagement with the rotatable member, a pin forA drivably connecting the driving member with the cranking shaft, the latter being provided with an elongated slot through which said pin lslidably extends, manually operable means having engagement With said pin for moving the driving member into driving engagement with saidrotatable member, and resilient means for moving said driving member out of engagement with the rotatable member.

13. In combination with an engine starter of the flywheel type, a rotatable member adapted to be driven by said flywheel, motion transmitting means interposed between said flywheel and rotatable member including a cranking shaft anda gear member slidably mounted on said shaft and drivably connected thereto, yielding means for normally maintaining said gear member in non-driving position, and means'carried by the cranking shaft for positively moving said gear member into driving position whereby the flywheel is rendered effective to drive said rotatable member.

17. lIn combination with engine starting.

mechanism embodying a flywheel adapted to drive a magneto and a member movable into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, a cranking shaft for the flywheel,

gearing for drivably connecting said flywheel and magneto including a gear slidably mounted on said cranking shaft, means including a member slidable in said cranking shaft for cont-rolling the position of said slidably mounted gear, and manually operable means for actuating said first named member and for longitudinally moving the member in the cranking shaft.

In testimony WhereofvI have signed this specification.

RAYMOND P. LANSING.

14. In combination, an engine starter in- I cluding a flywheel and a cranking shaft for `the flywheel, a rotatable member adapted to be driven by the flywheel, gearing operatively connected to the rotatable member, a gear member adapted to drivably engage but normally out of engagement with said gearing, means for drivably connecting said gear member and cranking shaft, and means carried by the cranking shaft for positively moving said gear memberv into and out of engag ment with said gearing.

15. In combination, an engine starter including a flywheel and a cranking shaft for the flywheel, a rotatable member adapted to be driven by the flywheel, motion transmitting meansconnected to said rotatable member, a driven member slidable on and drivably connected to said cranking shaft, said driven member being adapted for engagement with the motion transmitting means, means for normally maintaining 'the driven member out of engagement-with said motion transmitting means, and means slidable in the Icranking shaft for moving the driven member into engagement with the motion transmitting means.

`16. In combination with an engine starter provided with a flywheel and having a cranking shaft, a booster magneto having an armature shaft carried by said starter, means for .transmitting motion from the cranking shaft 

